How to Change Fuses in a Car

Diagnose and fix a broken fuse in your car’s electronics

Co-authored by Jason Shackelford

Last Updated: January 5, 2024 References

Learn how to quickly and safely change the fuses in your car and get back on the road without letting a dealership or mechanic get the best of you.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Locating and Diagnosing

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When one circuit has too much electricity flowing through it, the fuse blows to prevent serious damage and even fire. The best way of knowing if a fuse has blown, is if an electric component instantly stops working i.e. window stops while rolling up or down, radio stops workings, or all of the dash lights go out at once. If an electric component has been slowly getting worse, it is not likely a fuse but it is still good to check the fuses regularly.^{[1]
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^{[2]
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Research source} The owner's manual will tell where the vehicle's fuse panel is. Most models situate the fuse panel on the driver's side of the dashboard and under the steering wheel, but location varies from vehicle to vehicle. Remove the fuse panel's cover; there will be several different color-coded fuses plugged in. These colors, along with the numbers stamped on the fuses, indicate different amperage ratings. On the backside of the fuse panel there will be a diagram that shows which fuse corresponds with which electrical component. If the owner's manual is unavailable, try contacting a dealership for the location or a simple internet search can provide enough information to locate the fuse panel and specific fuses.^{[3]
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Once the fuse panel is located, remove the cover and locate the fuse puller, most vehicles come with a small fuse puller but not all will have one. Before removing any fuses, it is possible to test a fuse before removing it, this requires either a continuity test light, or a multi-meter / ohm meter.^{[4]
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To test a fuse without removing it, using the two probes of either the test light or multi-meter, touch the two small metal tabs located on the top of the fuse. These tabs can be tricky to connect to, but once sure that the probes are making contact, if the fuse has continuity (test light lights up) or has a resistance reading (may read 0 or 0.001milli-ohm) then the fuse is good. If these tools are unavailable, simply use the fuse puller that was in the fuse panel, or a small pair of pliers, or just bare fingers to remove and visually inspect any fuses. If the fuse is bad, it needs to be replaced.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Fuse Removal and Replacement

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Use the fuse panel diagram, the numbered color-coded fuses and the owner's manual to help you determine the correct amperage for your new fuse. Once you have the right fuse gently push it into the correct slot, make sure it's completely installed, and then put the fuse panel back on the car.^{[6]
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Once you are done replacing the fuse, turn the ignition and check to see if the circuit giving you trouble is working correctly. If it is working, chances are you just had a temporary surge that blew the fuse. If that's the case, then you just solved the problem.^{[7]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

What are the reasons why my car's service light engine is on?

Jason Shackelford
Auto Technician
Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience.

Jason Shackelford

Auto Technician

Expert Answer

The illumination of a service engine light typically occurs due to a variety of factors, with the most prevalent culprits being a loosely secured gas cap, insufficient fluid levels, malfunctioning sensors, or the presence of other non-critical issues within the vehicle's system. If you've checked everything and the light is still on, you can bring your car to the nearest car repair shop for a scan to properly diagnose the problem.

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Can I remove a fuse and start the car to determine what purpose the fuse serves?

Akshit Sharma

Community Answer

It is most likely written on the fuse box, and is 100% written in the owner's manual, so you don't need to do that.

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Question

Do I need to reconnect the battery before replacing fuses?

Logic Johnson Lafontaine

Top Answerer

Yes, it's impossible to check if the fuse is working without having battery power.

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Tips

Repeatedly replacing the same fuse means there is an underlying issue in that system of the vehicle, this will likely require further electrical diagnosing or a trip to a mechanic.

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Warnings

If you use the wrong amperage fuse, you could cause much worse damage to your vehicle than just a blown fuse.

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DO NOT attempt to diagnose or change fuses with the vehicle running or with the key in the ignition.

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Be careful when removing any trim pieces or access panels to get to the fuse panel as these can break.

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